Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Collard Greens And Sausage

Ingredients:

2 cups dried black-eyed peas

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound smoked port sausage, cut into bite-size chunks

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

5 cups chopped collard greens, tough stems removed

1 large carrot, chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Directions:

1. Carefully pick through the peas to remove any debris or small stones. Rinse peas well, transfer to a large bowl, cover by a few inches with cold water and set aside at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight; drain and rinse well.

2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and red pepper flakes, and cook until vegetables have softened a bit, about 6 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add broth, tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in peas, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig. Stir in collard greens and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 6 to 8